BS 

1515 

K828d 


KOHUT 

DISCUSSIONS 
ON  ISaIaH 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


Discussions  on  Isaiah, 

(ch.  LIl.  13  ff.,  and  ch.  LIII.) 

FROM  AN  UNPUBLISHED   MANUSCRIPT  OF  THE 
SIXTEENTH  CENTURY, 


PRELIMINARY  NOTES. 


JUDEAO-POLEMIC  LITERATURE, 


Rev.  Alkxandrr  Kohut,  D.D.,  Ph.  D. 

Rabbi  of  Temple  Ahawath  Chesed, 
New  York  City. 


1893. 


RE.S1'KCTKU1.LY  DEDICATED  TO  MY  ESTEEMED  FRIEND, 

Thk  Rkv.  Dr.  William  Haves  Ward,  D.D., 

Editor  of  "  The  Indefendent," 
AS  A  TOKEN  OF  WARM    ADMIKATION. 


PRINTED  BY 

THE  REFORM  ADVOCATE 
CHICAGO. 


DISCUSSIONS    ON    THE    FIFTY-THIRD 
CHAPTER  OP  ISAIAH. 


F'rom  an  unpublished  polemical  MS.  of  the  XVI.  century 
with  an  introduction  on  controversial  literature. 


Israel  is  a  nation  of  martyrs.  Bravery  in 
all  its  sterling  valor  and  Spartan  stoicism  is 
aptly  represented  by  that  staunch,  dauntless, 
hunted,  chosen  race,  surnamed  by  the  ro- 
mance of  popular  sympathy:  "The  Wandering 
Jew."  We  have  suffered  much  and  mur- 
mured less;  the  annals  of  history  teem  with 
the  atrocious  crimes  of  cruel  Torquemadas, 
but  fail  to  reproach  us  with  even  a  breath  of 
remonstrance.  The  fiendish  tortures  of 
mediaeval  inquisition  elicited  merel}'  a  phys- 
ical groan  of  pain  from  our  intrepid  co-relig- 
ionists, though  the  rack  of  reckless  bigotry 
aimed  to  crush  the  spirit,  not  the  frame.  In 
the  drear  silence  of  ominous  solitude,  we 
sobbed  out  our  hearts  in  soul  stirring  melo- 
dies, in  irresistible  strains  of  poetic  ecstacy, 
which  burst  forth,  like  some  volcano  of  seeth- 
ing wrath,  from  the  crater  of  inspired  genius, 


1965806 


\vc  w iiispcred  sweetly  of  our  wrongs,  not  im- 
precations of  revenge,  but  liope-fraught 
hymns  of  glad  release  from  tlie  tliraldom, 
which  encompassed  our  spirit  as  effectually, 
as  did  the  Ghetto  walls  our  homes. 

The  exile's  staff,  as  if  vested  with  those 
wondrous  gifts  of  heavenly  grace,  which  pos- 
sessed our  law-giver's  wand,  wrought  marvel- 
ous change  with  time's  swift  flight.  It  always 
served  to  carry  on  the  footsore  Jew,  to  goad 
him  on  his  pilgrimage.  When  wear}'  tread- 
ing many  miles,  he  by  the  wayside  sought 
repose,  his  wander-staff  became  a  flute  upon 
which  the  sad  Pariah  played  a  mxstic  seren- 
ade. With  that  same  wand,  his  sole  support 
on  stony  roads  he  wrote  the  W^ord,  and 
fought  his  foes,  not  with  the  slander  of 
abuse,  but  with  conscious  right  of  truth, — 
the  signet  ring  of  God.  The  Jew  confided  to 
but  one  trusty  agent  the  stor}  of  his  life,  the 
legend  of  his  woes,  and  the  fever  of  his 
throes, — to  one,  silent,  yet  communicative 
friend,  who  cheered  the  midnight  gloom  of 
his  life's  darkening  shadows, — the  Book. 

The  "people  of  the  Book"  found  tender 
solace  in  this  aged  W^rit,  which  gently  turned 
to  harmony  the  poetic  Hebrew  soul,  when  the 
lyre   of  distress    was    wrung  with    tremulous 


5 

sounds.  The  Jew  and  Moses'  magic  staff — 
the  Bible  —  was  bosomfriends,  who  vowed 
eternal  loyalty  in  every  walk  of  life. 

Only  when  this  immortal  heritage  of  our 
undying  race  was  seized  to  fuel  the  greedy 
flames  of  fanaticism,  did  our  hearts  vibrate 
with  virtuous  passions  of  national  indigna- 
tion, and  we  yearned  to  show  our  love  and 
allegiance  to  the  Godly  counselor,  by  ardent 
chants  of  praise.  Eagerly  we  grasped  the 
pen, — again  our  magic  wand — and  with  the 
delirium  of  prophetic  eloquence,  with  the 
frenzy  of  wounded  pride,  yet  with  the  con- 
vincing might  of  rational  philosophy,  we  ar- 
gued, lauded  and  defined  the  depth  of  Scrip, 
tural  wisdom,  and  refuted  fraudulent  charges 
against  our  honor,  from  the  very  Book, 
which,  as  is  alleged  by  some,  predicted  the 
arrival  of  the  Christian  Messiah.  The  Jew 
was  never  aggressive;  calmly  content  with 
the  mystic  quiet,  which  forebode  the  dawn  of 
fierce  persecution,  happy  in  the  menacing 
lull,  which  precedes  every  revolutionary 
crisis,  he  revelled  in  the  luxury  of  unmolested 
peace,  and  courted  the  obscurity  of  his  im- 
pregnable fortress,  the  oft  invaded  sanctum 
of  his  faith.  Despite  his  natural  aversion  to 
controversy,  however,  the  Jew  of  the  middle 


ages  (which  harbored  and  sanctioned  the  su- 
preme reign  of  Christian  intolerance),  became 
frequently  involved  in  theological  disputa- 
tions, in  fact,  dragged  at  times,  before  a 
mighty  tribunal  of  Christian  justice,  loaded 
with  most  absurd  accusations,  if  he  chanced 
to  contradict  the  ridiculous  theories  advanced 
by  pious  ministers  of  the  church,  who  zeal- 
ously expounded  the  Gospel  through  per- 
verted Old  Testament  prophecies. 

It  is,  therefore,  of  engrossing  interest  to 
note  the  sturdy  systematic  and  unbiased  ar- 
guments set  forth  by  the  Jews,  on  various 
themes  connected  with  the  dogmas  of  Chris- 
tianity as  illustrated  or  explained  by  Hebrew 
prophecies,  detailed  with  unruffled  philo- 
sophic temper  in  able  commentaries  on  the 
Holy  Writ,  or  in  polemic  productions,  which 
are  for  the  most  part  unpublished,  owing  to 
the  bitter  prejudice  prevailing  throughout  all 
ages  and  climes,  which  could  not  countenance 
the  participation  of  Israelites  in  religious 
philosophical  discussions,  viewed  in  the  light 
oi  Jewish  conceptions. 

Since  science,  however,  unfurled  the  glor- 
ious standard  of  liberty,  many  noble  litera- 
teurs  are  enlisted  under  the  folds  of  her 
blessed  banner,   and  contributed  by  courage- 


7 

ous  example  to  the  development  of  human- 
itarian ideas,  and  to  the  enlightenment  and 
gratification  of  rational  ideals.  Israel,  the 
hated' outcast,  who  keeps  pace  with  every 
stride  of  culture,  civilization  and  progress, 
lead  the  intellectual  movement,  and  now 
stands  at  the  helm  of  the  iron  craft  of  learn- 
ing, side  by  side  with  the  Gentile,  unex- 
posed, as  of  yore,  to  ridicule  and  oppression, 
save  in  the  land,  where  the  sun  of  justice  and 
fraternal  equity  does  not  shine.  Here,  with 
the  wave  of  the  stars  and  stripes,  the  sub- 
limest  symbol  of  genuine  freedom,  our  hearts 
responsive  beat,  and  chant  the  chorus  of 
patriotic  love,  which  rules  America's  sons. 

The  Jew,  breathes  the  same  undefiled  fra- 
grance of  virgin  air,  which  buoys  up  the  faith 
of  all  good  men,  be  he  the  scion  of  the  Gods, 
of  Allah  or  of  unnamed  creed,  be  he  even 
devoid  of  belief  in  God  revealed,  or  unre- 
vealed.  Freedom  of  thought,  by  conscience 
trained,  is  written  upon  her  sands,  and  all  can 
write,  with  equal  right  on  things  divine,  or 
men.  We  feel  ourselves  therefore  at  perfect 
ease  in  dilating  upon  a  subject,  which  has 
been  styled  by  a  liberal  writer,  "the  fire  brand 
of  theology,"  namely  the  exposition  of  the 
fifty-third  chapter  of  Isaiah,  claimed  by  non- 


Jewish  interpreters  to  be  a  typical  represen- 
tation of  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus.  The 
Views  expounded  in  the  following  arguments 
cannot  lay  claim  to  deep  philosophical  eru- 
dition, nor  are  they  wholly  unfamiliar  to  us, 
for  similar  proofs  have  been  offered  bj'  other 
writers,  renowned  not  only  for  their  unpreju- 
diced standpoint,  but  for  their  logical,  mas- 
terly treatment  of  exegetical  problems.  The 
textual  exposition  of  our  anonymous  scribe, 
as  well  as  his  honest,  straightforward  style, 
unembellished  by  needless  phraseology,  and 
unsullied  by  bitter  invectives  or,  even  by 
the  milder  mode  of  expression,  a  modified 
sting  of  satire,  commends  itself  most  forcibly 
to  our  appreciation.  Before  we  enter  into 
fuller  description  of  our  MS.,  we  desire  to 
give  a  brief  outline  of  polemical  literature  in 
general. 

Anti-Christian  polemical  literature  is  too 
extensive  to  be  exhaustively  sketched  in  the 
present  article.  We  will  merely  enumerate 
the  most  important  items,  and  refer  the 
reader  to  special  treatises  on  the  subject, 
where  a  complete  bibliography  is  rendered. 
De  Rossi's  register:  "Bibliotheca  Ju- 
daica  Antichristiana"  (Parma,  1800)  is 
an     indispensable      handbook     on     Jewish 


9 

Christian  controversies.  Dr.  M.  Stein- 
schneider's  able  essay:  "Polemische 
und  Apologetische  Literatur  in  Ara- 
bische'r  Sprache  zwischen  Muslimen, 
Christen  und  Juden"  (Abb.  f.d.  Kunde 
des  Morgenlandes,  Bd.  VI.  No.  3, 
Leipzig,  1878)  is  replete  with  valuable 
references  on  this  topic.  The  literature 
on  Isaiah  ch.  liii.  is  accurately  compiled  in 
Dr.  A.  Neubauer's  scholarly  edition:  "The 
Fifty-Third  Chapter  of  Isaiah  Ac- 
cording to  the  Jewish  Interpreters" 
in  II.  vols.  Vol.  I.:  Texts,  by  A.  N.; 
II.:  Translations  by  S.  R.  Driver  and 
A.  N.,  with  an  introduction  by  Dr.  Pusey. 
(Oxford,  1877).  In  the  introduction  to  this 
admirable  collection  of  Hebrew  commen- 
taries on  the  vital  passage  in  Isaiah,  are 
cited  all  works,  notably  of  a  controversial 
character,  which  illustrate  the  remarkable 
erudition  attained  by  the  Jews,  not  only  in 
Old  Testament  exposition,  but  in  Gospel 
criticism.  Dr.  Neubauer's  collectanea  are  of 
particular  value  in  this  regard.  The  list, 
which  we  furnish,  presents  merely  a  cursory 
view  of  the  vast  literature  extant.  For  com- 
pleteness sake,  we  would  advise  those  speci- 
ally concerned,  to  consult  the  catalogues   of 


various  libraries,  public  and  private,  where 
precise  descriptions  are  given  of  all  MSS.  and 
printed  works.  Those  of  the  learned  biblio- 
graphers, Drs.  Neubauer,  Steinschneider, 
Perreau,  Mortara,  de  Rossi,  Zedner,  Zunz, 
and  others,  contain  instructive  notices.  From 
Dr.  Neubauer's  large  "Catalogue  of  the 
Hebrew  Mss.  in  the  Bodleian  Library," 
etc.,  etc.  (Oxford,  MDCCCLXXXVI)  we 
glean  the  following  items,  alphabetically 
arranged    under    the    heading:*  Controversy 

(ms-'i) 

Religious:  See  Aaron  (Hayyim)  Volterra: 
2404,  Abdias  (in  Latin):  2320'^  Abraham 
Samuel  Bacharach:  2149',  Abraham  Ferus- 
sol  ('?1S"'"iS):  6652;  20184;  2165 — 2166; 
22952,  Abraham  Guer:  2173',  Alfonso 
(Maestro):  2151;  2152',  Benjamin  ben 
Moses:  24083,  David:  22184.°,  David  Nasi: 
2164,  David  Qamhi:  21494.=  ;  21702-=;  2289^, 
Franci  (Maestro):  [?],  Hayyim  ben  Isaac: 
21482,  Isaac  Orobio  de  Castro:  2471;  2474, 
Isaac  Troki:  2170';  2171;  2172';  2403,  Ja- 
cob   ben    Elijah:   2408'°,    Jacob    ben    Joseph 


*  We  have  carefully  added  the  numbers  in  Dr.  N.'s 
Catalogue,  not  given  in  the  Index.  The  large  Nos.  refer 
to  the  chapter,  the  small  numbers  or  letters  to  the  sub- 
divisions. 


Gabriel  [Jonah]:  2151,  Jacob  ben  Reuben: 
2146 — 2148;  21492;  22074,  Jair  ben  Shab- 
betai:  2179;  2405',Jehiel  of  Paris:  2149  S  Jo- 
nah Rapa  [orRopa]:  2221^3,  Joseph  Official: 

21702,  Joshua  Lorqui:  2218''''  ,  Joshua  Segre: 
2407,  Judah  Briel:  2407;  2474,  Koppelman 
ben  Simeon:  21494'^,  Lipman  of  Miihlhausen: 

(pn:;:  120)  1911^;  [1589*];  21493;  [21484]; 

2159 — 2163;    [21802 ;  22668]   22933;  [24087]*, 

Loeb  of  Trier:  2293  +  ,  Marco  Lippomanno: 
2174,  Marcus:  2146,  Mathithiah  ben  Moses: 
[Yizhari]    13723;    1913  5 ;  2167 ';  2168 ';  2169; 

21703,  Menahem  ben  Schaprut:  2150,  Meshul- 
1am  ben  Uri:  14655,  Mordecai  ben  Jehiel: 
22935,  Moses  Kohen  of  Tordecilla:  [17964]; 
1592';  19994;  2158',  Moses  ben  Nahman: 
2192";  24o85a-b  ;  242513,  Moses  Rieti:  818', 
Phineas  ben  Eliezer:  2289  6;  Profet  Duran: 
2153I;  2154— 2155;  21582;  22075,  Sa'adja 
Gaon  (attributed):  2148',  Samson  Kohen 
Modon  (poem):  2406 «,  Schem  Tob  ben 
Schaprut  (attributed):  2148';  2150 — 2152'. 
[2408^]  Solomon  Levi  (Paul  of  Burgos): 
22i84''  ,  Solomon  ben  Moses  [b.  Jekuthiel] 
24082,     and     anonymous:    258;      814^     (in 

*  The  numbers  in  parenthesis,  indicate,  that  the  MSS., 
which  they  represent,  are  only  fragments  or  extracts  of  the 
work. 


Arabic);  15623;  16285 ;  1649^ ;  16585;  J913 5 

(Vn'nts);     21483;    21494;    21702.^;    2172^; 

2175 — 2178;  2180  (by  Schlimel);  22184. '.m,r. 
22934;  2406  a;    24084.8. 

Some  important  MSS.  are  also  enumer- 
ated in  Dr.  Steinschneider — Zunz's:  mi^lS" 
Qiin  Katalog  der  Michael'schen  Biblio- 
thek,"  Hamburg  1848.  [see  furthermore: 
D''''nn  "lis  "Umfassendes  bibliographisches 
und  literar-historisches  Worterbuch  des  rab- 
binischen  Schriftthums"  Frankfurt  a.  M. 
1891  under  author's  names.]  Cf.  Nos.  3, 
13,  229,  230,  231,  248,  341  (cp.  p.  364  a 
scholarly  note  on  "Q'^'iin  nD'»^r)")  461,  (cf.  p. 
370  note  on:  pINI  '2  2pV^  '"1^  ''  HIOn^D).  See 
p.  12.  Nos.  5395—5396;  5399—5401-  (On  A. 
Jagel's:  "31ID  Hpb  Catechismus  Judaeorum" 
etc.  Dr.  Maybaum  of  Berlin  has  prepared 
an  interesting  essay,  appended  to  the  annual 
report  of  the  Rabb.  Hochschule  1892).  Three 
collections  of  polemical  pieces  are  published 
in  the  little  book:  Sefer  Hashabath  Abodah 
(1858) «:  Chasronoth  M'sifre  Hashass;  y. 
Teshuboth  p'l"!"  Lehanozrim  (Neub.  Cat. 
2289^);  5:  Shearim  Misefer  Haibur.  Other 
printed  works,  are  no  doubt  familiar  to  our 
readers.  The  two  best  known  treatises  on 
the  subject    ar    the    "Sepher    Nizachon"    of 


13 

Rabbi  Lippman  Muhlhausen,  and  the 
"Chisuk  Emuna"  of  Yizhak  b.  Abraham 
Troki.  We  need  not  elaborate  upon  the 
literature,  already  accessible  to  the  public, 
our  bibliographical  attempt  is  chiefly  directed 
to  the  rich  material  buried  in  the  dust  of 
libraries,  and  known  only  by  superficial  men- 
tion, or  at  best  a  thorough  description  which 
gives  us  no  insight  into  the  soul  element, 
which  agitated  the  author's  pen.  Dr.  Neu- 
bauer  has  done  a  great  service  by  his  wel- 
come contribution  to  controversial  literature, 
and  his  painstaking  abstracts  from  ancient 
Commentaries    on     Isaiah   liii*,    are    at    the 


*)  The  late  Prof.  Dr.  S.  M.  Schiller-Szin- 
essy  of  Cambridge  issued  in  1882  a  pamphlet 
of  31  pp.,  wherein  he  endeavors  to  expound 
the  doubtful  verses  in  IS.  cf.  ^"'Dt^''  n:n 
tiaj; — "An  Exposition  of  Isaiah  Hi, 
13,  14,  15  and  liii,  delivered  before 
the  Council  of  the  Senate"  etc.  etc. 
[Cambr.  and  London,  Deighton,  Bell 
&  Co.  J  Dr.  M.  Friedmann,  Lector  at  the 
Beth  Ha-Midrash  in  Vienna,  offers  very  in- 
geniouscomments  in  an  essay  recently  issued, 
entitled:  "S'RUBABHEL,"  Erlauterun- 
gen  der  Weissagung:  "Siehe,  es  gelingt  mei- 
nem  Knechte,"  i-j^j;  h^^^'^  n^n- — Vienna,  1890. 
Printed  by    M.    Knopflmacher;  8vo.,  igg  pp. 


14 

same  time  valuable  additions  to  the  history 
of  Biblical  exegesis.  A  collection  and  colla- 
tion of  controversial  documents,  showing  the 
development  of  philosophical  exegesis  among 
the  Jews  from  the  earliest  period  until  the 
present  era,  would  be  a  most  worthy  compil- 
ation. Perhaps  our  learned  friend,  Dr.  Neu- 
bauer,  who  has  already  given  evidence  of  re- 
markable skill  in  his  excellent  edition  of  He- 
brew commentators  on  Isaiah  liii,  would 
favor  us  with  such  selections,  inasmuch,  as 
he  has  free  access  to  rare  MSS.  in  almost 
every  library  in  Europe. 


Description  of  our  Manuscript. 


The  MS.  which  engrosses  our  attention; 
was  the  property  of  the  late  lamented 
scholar.  Rev.  Dr.  A.  S.  Bettelheim,  Rabbi 
in  Baltimore,  who  on  a  loose  slip  placed  in 
the  book,  explains  that  he  bought  this  remark- 
able work  while  studying  in  Prague  many  years 
ago.  We  make  the  following  bibliograph- 
ical remarks:  [m3l],  DIALOGUE  BE- 
TWEEN A  JEW  AND  A  CHRISTIAN,  ON 
THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION,  IN  28 
CHAPTERS,  without  title,  or  name  of  the 
author, — small  8°. — unedited. 

The  MS.  is  well  bound  in   wood,    covered 


J5 

over  with  embossed  leather.  It  contains  156 
leaves,  and  some  blank  sheets,  probably  for 
corrections  and  additions,  on  either  side  of  the 
book;  the  edges  are  gilt,  and  artistically 
decorated  with  arabesque  design.  Soft  silk 
paper;  the  writing  is  neat  and  legible,  a 
Spanish  Italian  or  Spanish  Hollandish  hand 
from  the  17th  or  the  beginning  of  the  i8th 
century.  Our  MS.  seems  to  be  a  unique 
copy.  Dr.  Neubauer,  to  whom  we  applied 
for  information,  writes,  in  answer  to  our  sur- 
mise concerning  its  identity  with  the  contro- 
versial treatise  [dTI^X  1133]  mentioned  in 
Cat.  Bodl.  col.  752,  as  follows:  "Your  MS. 
is  not  identical  with  No.  2175,  ^^^  with  any 
other  in  our  collection.  By  collating  the 
passage:  ^12]^  ^^S^"*  nj"  with  the  extracts 
published  in  my  'Fifty-Third  Ch.  of 
Isaiah  Accord,  to  Jewish  Interpreters,' 
you  might  recognize  the  author.  The 
date  1555  points  to  a  Holland-Spanish 
origin,  perhaps  cited  in  de  Rossi's 
Biblioth.  Antichristiana — ".  After  minute 
collation  we  find,  that  our  MS.  is  not 
mentioned  either  in  de  Rossi,  or  in  Dr.  N's. 
edition.  From  the  printed  fragment  pasted 
on  the  cover  of  the  book,  which  we  have  suc- 
ceeded   in    deciphering,    we   glean    that    the 


writer  lived  in  Holland,  as  is  indicated  by 
the      words:       Contra —  Remonstrantsche 

Leyden." 

In  Steinschneider's  "Verzeichniss  der 
Hebr.  Handschriften  i.  d.  Konigl.  Bibliothek 
zu  Berlin".  (Berlin  1878)  p.  51,  No.  74,  is 
mentioned  a  controversial  document  (of  the 
year  1374):  TlilDKn  ITJ?'  by  Mose  Kohen 
Torsilla  [Tordesila  etc.]  Cf.  Neub.  Cat. 
Bodl.  Nos.  [i796-t];  1592^;  19994;  2158'; 
also  "Fifty-Third  Chapter  of  Isaiah" 
[1,876]  i,  p.  xi,  No.  xxiv.  B.  Tordecilla's 
polemical  treatise,  as  described  by 
Dr.  Steinschneider,  seems  to  have  some 
points  in  common  with  our  MS.,  particularly 
in  the  choice  of  subjects,  division  of  chap- 
ters, and  similarity  in  introductory  remarks. 
St.  gives  interesting  details  of  this  and 
other  MSS.  on  pp.  [52,]  21,  74,  109 — no 
etc. 

The  Hebrew  bibliographer,  Herr  Ephraim 
Deinard,  to  whom  we  submitted  the  work 
for  examination,  pronounces  it  to  be  identi- 
cal with  the  "Eben  Bochan"  of  R.  Schem 
Tob  ben  Yizhak  ben  Schaprut,  [anno  5145] 
who  after  his  dispute  with  Alphonso  Maestro 
(cf.  Neub.  2150 — 2152')  revised  and  enlarged 
his  dissertation,    and    published  it    again    in 


5155-  According  to  Steinsch.  (Catalog. 
Michael  p.  364)  it  is  the  same  as  theK'limath 
Haggoyim,  mentioned  above.  Other  argu- 
ments'are  to  be  found  in  his  Berlin  Cat.  p. 
52.  Deinard  is  in  error.  For  the  jms  pS  was 
written  anno  5145  respectively  5155,  corre- 
sponding to  1395  (1385)  of  the  Ch.  era, 
and  our  MS.  is  of  a  much  later  date, 
^555^  ^^  is  manifest  by  the  significant 
passage,       (fol.       114      a)       which      reads: 

.im«  nn^np  k^i  K3  ^ly^i  «^«  -js  ^3  'n  'innn«'» 

^^Nazarite:  The  questions  we  urge  against 
you,  are,  why  have  you  waited  1555  years 
for  the  coming  of  your  Messiah,  and  why 
has  the  Lord  so  long  delayed  his  advent? 
We  conclude,  therefore,  that  he  did  actually 
come,  but  you  denied  him." — This  is  the 
only  clue  to  the  age  of  the  work.  There  are 
altogether  28  chapters  summarized  with 
scrupulous  care  on  pp.  153 — 156.  Every  ch. 
is  otherwise  preceded  by  an  extra  page,  con- 
taining a  brief  outline  of  the  contents,  differ- 
ing at  times  from  the  more  complete  index 
at  the  end  of   the   work.      We    will   herewith 


i8 

render  a  short  review  of  the  various  themes 
discussed  by  the  author: 

Chapter  I.  Refutes  the  idea  that  Jesus 
came  to  fulfill  the  Law. 

Chapter  II.  Refutes  the  idea  of  the  Trin- 
ity, giving  deep  philosophical  researches. 

Chapter  III.  Refutes  the  belief  of  Jesus' 
immaculate  birth. 

Chapter  IV.  Explains  the  verse  "Let  us 
make  man  in  our  image"  etc. 

Chapter  V.  Comments  upon  Genesis 
xviii,  2. 

Chapter  VI.  Comments  upon  Genesis 
xlix,  lo. 

Chapter  VII.  Argues,  that  the  Cherubim 
are  not  of  human  shape. 

Chapter  VIII.  Disputes  the  Chr.  concep- 
tion of  Azazel. 

Chapter  IX.  Comments  on  Deut.  xxxii, 
39;  X.  ch.  on  Deut.   xxvii,  26. 

Chapter  XI.  On  sacrifices;  XII.  ch.  Ex- 
planation on  ISAIAH,  lii  and  liii. 

Chapter XIII.  On  Isaiah  xlii,  i;  XIV.  ch. 
Explanation  on  N.  T.  passages. 

Chapter  XV.  Denies  that  Jesus  sanc- 
tioned the  violation  of  Mosaic   dietary  laws. 


19 

Chapter  XVI.  On  Ezek.  xx,  25;  XVII, 
ch.  On  HOSEA  vi,  3;  XVIII.  ch.  Amos 
ii,  6. 

Chapter  XIX.  Disputes  the  interpretation 
of  Zech  ix,  9;  XX.  ch.      Ibidem   of  Psalm  ii. 

Chapter  XXI.  Expl.  of  Ps.  xxii,  2;  XXII. 
ch.  On  Ps.  ex,  i;  XXIII.  ch.  on  the  70 
weeks  of  Daniel. 

Chapter  XXIV.  Refutes  the  idea  that  the 
Jews  were  exiled,  because  of  Jesus'  death. 

Chapter  XXV.  On  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciples of  Christian  faith;  XXVI.  ch.  Further 
discussions. 

Chapter  XXVII.  Reconciles  seeming  con- 
tradictions in  the  Thora,  and  gives  chronolog- 
ical dates  on  foreign  kings. 

Chapter  XXVIII.  States  why  the  Thora 
treats  of  worldly,  and  not  metaphysical  prob- 
lems. 

At  present,  only  ch.  xii.  on  Is.  52  and  53 
concerns  us.  The  translation  is  as  literal  as 
is  consistent  with  good  English  idiom. 

Dialogue. 


(MS.  pp.  55-66.) 


Christian:   "Behold,    my    servant    shall  be 
prosperous"  (Isaiah  lii.  13J.      In  our  estima- 


tion  this  entire  portion  should  be  explained 
as  referring  to  Jesus,  our  Lord,  who  was  ex- 
ecuted at  the  close  of  the  second  Temple  era, 
and  of  whom  the  prophet  wrote:  "He  was 
stricken,  smitten  of  God  and  afflicted"  (Is. 
liii.  4).  He  was  stricken,  smitten  and 
afflicted,  because  of  his  Divinity,  and  for  his 
having  abolished  the  punishment  of  the  souls 
caused  by  Adam's  sin.  For  this  reason  we 
read  "he  had  borne  the  sin  of  many  and 
made  intercession  for  the  transgressors"  (liii. 
10).  "But  he  was  wounded  for  our  trans- 
gressions," etc.  (liii.  4),  indicating  his  atone- 
ment for  the  sin  of  the  first  man  by  his  own 
wounds.  "All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray, 
we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way, 
and  the  Lord  has  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of 
us  all"  (liii.  4).  It  signifies  that  he  has  sac- 
rificed his  life  for  mankind.  "He  was  tor- 
mented, but  suffered  freely"  (lb.  7),  namely, 
he  accepted  the  death  assigned  to  him,  vol- 
untarily. "He  was  taken  from  prison  and 
judgment  and  who  shall  consider  his  genera- 
tion" (liii.  7),  i.  e.,  there  is  none  to  recog- 
nize or  acknowledge  his  seed.  "And  for  the 
transgression  of  the  people  death  came  upon 
him,  and  he  made  his  grave  by  the  wicked" 
(ib.  7),  indicating  that    he    was  hanged  be- 


tween  two  thieves.  It  is  clearly  manifest  to 
me,  that  all  these  scriptural  passages  point 
to  our  Messiah  Jesus,  and  serve  to  refute  the 
statements  of  his  opponents,  who  would 
doubt  his  mission  and  his  adventures." 

Israelite:  "Many  weighty  objections  could 
be  urged  against  this  theory.  In  the  first 
place:  Should  we  concede  that  primeval  man 
was  punished  for  his  sin,  with  the  soul- 
penalty,  his  soul  having  been  consigned  to 
Gehinom  unto  eternity,  which  is  not  rec- 
orded in  Holy  Writ;  secondly:  Can  we  be- 
lieve that  Adam  atoned  for  his  transgressions 
by  the  punishment  of  the  soul;  thirdly:  If 
we  admit  that  the  soul-penalty  was  incum- 
bent upon  him,  whether  the  offspring  of  the 
first  man  were  thereby  affected?  All  these 
points  are  elaborately  discussed  in  the  first 
chapter.*  Aside  from  all  other  considera- 
tions, your  conception  in  reference  to  the  ex- 
planation of  this  chapter,  is  at  variance  with 
its  literal  interpretation.  For,  if  the  expres- 
sion: "Behold  my  servant  shall  be  prosper- 
ous" (verbatim:  "shall  be  enlightened"), 
relate  to  Jesus,  it  is  obvious,  that  up  to  the 
time,  when  this  prediction  shall  have  gone 
into  effect,  he  was  not  enlightened,  and  such 

*  pp.  I  a — 6a. 


an  assumption  would  be  inconsistent  with 
the  idea  of  the  Deity.  Should  the  passage 
in  question  signify,  that  he  will  eventually 
become  aware  of  the  right  conception  and 
understanding,  in  his  capacity  as  a  Divine 
power,  he  ought  to  have  been  familiar  with 
the  beginning  and  end  of  all  things,  by  dint 
of  his  penetration.  Why  then  should  Scrip- 
ture endow  him  with  comprehension  at  the 
end;  is  it  compatible  with  the  supposed  su- 
perior knowledge  attributed  to  him?  How 
can  it  be  said:  "He  shall  come  to  an  under- 
standing," as  if  such  could  ever  be  withdrawn 
from  him?  If,  however,  h^TZ***  be  synonym- 
ous with  rT'^i"',  as  is  frequently  the  case,  for 
it  is  written:  "David  was  prosperous  in  all  his 
ways"  (i  Sam.  xviii,  14),  the  question  arises 
whether  the  prosperity  revealed  through  him 
is  a  mental  or  corporeal  one?  In  view  of  the 
first  consideration,  argued  above,  a  spiritual 
welfare  or  the  lack  of  it,  is  not  justifiable,  and 
from  a  bodily  standpoint,  likewise  untenable, 
as  illustrated  by  his  disastrous  end. 

How  is  it  possible  that  the  Lord  of  the 
Universe  should  call  a  part  of  his  own  essen- 
tial being  "my  servant?"  Not  a  servant  for 
reason  of  his  mortal  frame,  for  behold  "en- 
lightenment"  is    mentioned    first,    and    only 


23 

then  follows  the  impression:  "He  shall  be 
exalted  and  extolled  and  be  very  high"  (lii. 
13),  which  are  all  attributes  of  God,  accord- 
ing to  your  own  statement.  The  same  inter- 
pretation holds  good  for  the  word  "servant." 
This  designation  is  tendered  not  so  much  for 
his  bodily  shape,  as  in  recognition  of  his  en- 
lightened soul;  with  more  regard  for  his 
inner  soul,  than  for  his  exterior  appearance. 
Enlightenment  in  this  case  is  not  possible, 
for  the  body  is  spoken  of,  not  the  soul. 

"He  shall  be  exalted  and  extolled  and  be 
very  high."  The  future  tense  is  used  here. 
I  should  much  like  to  know,  whether  the  allu- 
sion to  his  revealed  exaltation  is  a  spiritual 
or  corporeal  one,  with  respect  to  his  human 
or  his  divine  quality,  for,  from  a  corporeal 
point  of  view,  he  suffered  only  ridicule,  de- 
gradation, and  death,  not  zs  you  would  inter- 
pret in  harmony  with  the  Scriptural  passage, 
for  he  enjoyed  no  exaltation  or  elevation 
whatever,  according  to  the  prophecy  pointed 
out  by  you,  yourself.  The  employment  of 
the  future  tense  is  certainly  not  in  concur- 
rence with  his  godliness,  God  being  at  all 
times  "exalted  and  extolled  and  very  high." 

"His  visage  was  so  marred  unlike  to  a  man, 
and  his  form  unlike  to  the  sons  of  men'(lii.,' 


24 

13),  and  further  below  it  is  recorded  that  "he 
had  no  form  nor  majesty  that  we  should  re- 
gard him,  and  no  beauty  that  we  should  de- 
sire him"  (liii.  i).  "He  was  despised,  and 
forsaken  of  men,  a  man  of  pains"  etc.  (ibid.) 
All  these  citations  tend  to  illustrate  that  in 
contradiction  to  other  versions,  describing 
liim  as  comely  of  appearance,  and  gracefully 
shaped,  he  was  homely,  weak  and  uncouth. 
Should  you,  perchance,  assert  that  this  de- 
terioration took  place  only  at  the  point  of 
death,  (then  your  argument  is  erratic),  he 
would  only  share  this  experience  in  common 
with  any  other  mortal,  who,  when  about  to 
die,  looses  color,  changes  appearance,  and 
becomes  generally  deformed. 

"Acquainted  with  sickness,"  (ib.  i)  is  only 
congruous,  if  the  malady  be  inseparable  from 
the  body  throughout  his  life-time,  which  is 
not  so  in  the  case  of  Jesus,  as  it  is  not  chro- 
nicled that  he  was  always  ill,  but  only  on  the 
day  of  his  death,  and  death  is  nowhere  styled 
"sickness." 

Christian:  I  do  not  venture  to  dispute 
your  argument  in  regard  to  the  verse:  "His 
visage  was  so  marred,  unlike  to  a  man,"  for 
one  changes  with  the  drift  of  circumstance. 
The  deformity  dates  before  his   death,    while 


25 

they  tormented  him,  as  was  known  to  all  Is- 
rael, who  gathered  to  celebrate  the  festival. 

Israelite:  Your  theory,  that  man  changes 
with  the  drift  of  circumstance,  /.  e.  under  in- 
fliction of  pain  or  torture,  bears  no  substan- 
tiation. For  we  read:  "He  grew  up  before 
him  as  a  tender  plant,  and  as  a  root  out  of  a 
dry  ground"  (liii,  i),  signifying,  that  from 
the  period  of  his  "first  coming  up,"  he  suf- 
fered a  metamorphosis  If  then,  "he  had 
no  form  or  majesty,"  we  should  like  to  be  in- 
formed, when  was  he,  at  any  rate,  "a  tender 
plant?"  Furthermore,  "acquainted  with 
sickness"  can  not  be  attributed  to  the  in- 
juries received  by  maltreatment,  for  hanging 
followed  close  upon  his  abuse,  as  chronicled 
in  Evang.  Matthew  ch.  cvi*;  consequently 
he  had  no  time  to  fall  ill,  on  account  of  the 
outrages  perpetrated  against  him.  Nor  is  it 
stated  anywhere,  that  his  illness  was  caused 
by  the  blows  he  received.  They  did  not 
strike  him  heavily  either,  but  smote  him  out 
of  pure  mockery,  so  as  to  humiliate  him. 
And  even  if  this  were  all  true,  the  passage 
ought  to  read:  "He  was  acquainted  with 
hits,  and  not  sickness." 

"Surely    he   did    bear    our    sickness,    and 

*)   Misquoted  for  chapter  xxvi. 


26 

carry  our  pains."  (liii,4).  This  can  have 
no  reference  to  those  doomed  in  Gehinom  to 
expiate  for  Adam's  sin,  for  the  soul-punish- 
ment must  not  be  termed  a  species  of  illness, 
especially  if  it  be  such,  as  he  can  endure  and 
burden  himself  with.  Not  even  ye  declare 
that  your  God  assumed  the  burden  and  pen- 
alty of  Hell.  Hence,  it  is  evident,  that  the 
above  statement  is  erroneously  interpreted, 
whilst  its  actual  purport  is  that,  he  took  upon 
himself  those  maladies,  which  he  removed 
from  them.  For  this  reason  it  is  said:  "We 
esteemed  him,  stricken,  smitten  of  God  and 
afflicted"  (liii,  4),  because  he  himself  was 
smitten  and  afflicted. 

Should  this  be  explained  in  reference  to 
his  pains  and  death,  then  the  phrase,  "Our 
sickness  and  pains"  is  not  comprehensible, 
for  the  death  which  the  Jews  caused  him  can 
not  be  called  "sicknesses  and  pains."  None 
the  more  intelligible  is  the  sentence  "In  his 
wounds  we  are  healed"  (liii,  4),  as  if  to  say, 
that  we  suffered  from  maladies  and  pains, 
and  He,  having  freed  us  of  our  thraldom  by 
taking  our  troubles  upon  himself,  has 
healed  us  thereby. 

Besides,  "smitten  of  God  and  afflicted"  is 
a    corrupt    rendering,     which    ought    to   be 


27 

amended  into  "smitten  of  man'".  Further- 
more, how  can  it  be  said,  that  he  is  smitten 
of  Gotf,  indicating  a  Divine  Power  above,  if 
he  be  himself  a  Deity?  Moreover,  your  own 
version  of  this  passage  reads  "he  was  pun- 
ished because  of  his  deserving  punishment," 
therefore  the  correct  interpretation  would  be 
^^Killedoi  God,"  for  the  penalty  imposed  upon 
him  were  not  pains  and  beatings,  but  death. 
"The  Lord  laid  upon  him  the  iniquities  of 
us  all"  (liii,  4).  From  this  it  is  clearly  ap- 
parent, that  the  Almighty  put  it  upon  him, 
and  he  succumbed.  How  can  a  God  suc- 
cumb? And,  to  still  further  quote  your 
theories,  you  maintain  that  only  the  flesh 
can  suffer.  And  is  the  term  "smiting"  ap- 
plicable to  God? 

"He  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  liv- 
ing" (liii,  7).  How  can  you  construe  this 
verse  as  referring  to  Jesus  and  his  death, 
when  Scripture  adds  the  clause:  "For  the 
transgression  of  my  people,  they  were 
stricken"  (ibid)  they,  the  plural  is  used,  sig- 
nifying a  collection  of  bodies,  not  a  single 
individual,  whilst  in  harmony  with  your  con- 
ception, the  text  ought  to  read:  "//V  was 
stricken."  And  indeed  to  bridge  over  this 
obstacle,     Christian    translators     invariably 


render:  ^^He  was  stricken,"  a  very  grievous 
error  by  the  way. 

Christian:  The  plural  expression  they,  de- 
notes the  ban  of  suffering  which  the  Jews 
must  undergo  in  eternal  exile,  to  atone  for 
His  death. 

Israelite:  If  this  were  the  case,  the  appel- 
ation  "my  people"  would  be  entirely  incon- 
sistent with  the  spirit  of  your  arguments,  for 
they  were  his  enemies.  He  should  have 
rather  indicated  the  people  in  general,  as  it  is 
noted:  (Exod.  xxxii,  7)  "Step  down,  for  cor- 
rupt is  thy  people."  Moreover,  the  very 
fact,  that,  even  after  his  death,  and  despite 
the  sin  they  committed,  the  designation  "my 
people"  was  accorded  to  them,  proves  be- 
yond any  doubt,  that  they  still  enjoyed  the 
confidential  title  "the  chosen  people"  vouch- 
safed unto  them  by  God. 

"He  made  his  grave  with  the  wicked,  and 
with  the  rich  in  his  death"  (ibid.  7).  You 
interpret  this  verse  likewise  in  relation  to 
Jesus,  whose  death  was  due  to  the  wicked, 
namely,  Israel;  according  to  your  conception, 
it  ought  to  read:  "He  gave  to  the  wicked 
his  death,  not  his  grave,"  for,  you  argue,  Is- 
rael did  not  afflict  him  through  his  death 
alone,  nor  by  his   grave.     The    second    por- 


29 

tion  of  the  sentence:  "and  with  the  rich  in 
his  death"  is  devoid  of  all  reason. 

Furthermore,  your  assertion  "he  gave  the 
wicked  his  grave,"  indicating,  that  he  was 
hanged  between  two  thieves,  is  incorrect, 
for  it  should  be  added,  his  death,  not  his 
grave  was  with  the  wicked,  for  he  was  not 
interred  with  the  thieves,  as  the  words  "his 
grave,"  seem  to  imply. 

"Yet  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him, 
he  had  put  him  to  grief"  (liii,  lo).  If  he 
was  a  God,  desirous  of  taking  upon  himself 
these  pains,  that  he  may,  as  you  affirm,  re- 
deem the  soul  of  the  righteous  from  Purga- 
tory, why  is  it  then  especially  stated:  "It 
pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him,"  as  if  God 
found  gratification  in  afflicting  himself  with 
suffering,  "pleasing,"  means,  at  any  rate, 
what  has  no  known  cause,  not  what  is  com- 
mitted with  a  fixed  purpose.  This  holds 
good  for  the  second  verse  particularly: 
"When  he  should  make  his  soul  a  trespass 
offering"  (ibid.).  How  can  this  be  justifi- 
able in  reference  to  God,  an  abstract  Deity? 
Can  a  God  sin  and  atone  for  his  transgres- 
sions? Can  he  redeem  his  own  soul  by  a 
trespass  offering?  And  should  it  indicate 
that  his  sou/  died,   how  is  this  remark  recon- 


30 

cilable  with  your  former  assertion  regarding 
the  exclusive  mortality  of  the  flesh? 

"He  should  see  a  seed,  he  should  prolong 
his  days  and  the  pleasure  of  God  should 
prosper  in  his  Hand"  (liii,  lo). 

It  is  related,  that  Jesus  died  in  his  youth, 
having  been  executed  at  the  age  of  32,  and 
he  did  not  live  sufficiently  long  to  see  issue, 
neither  son,  nor  daughter,  hence  the  pro- 
phecy regarding  his  posterity  and  longevity 
is  not  fulfilled.  Should  you,  however,  have 
in  view  the  prolongation  of  his  life,  you 
would  be  guilty  of  an  irrational  theory,  for 
limited  time  is  only  restricted  in  the  sublu- 
nar sphere,  not  in  the  spiritual  world. 

It  is  furthermore  known,  that  God  knows, 
sees,  beholds  and  inspects  what  was,  and 
what  will  be,  whilst  here,  it  is  plainly  noted: 
"he  tvill  see,"  as  if  this  transparency  of  sight 
were  only  accorded  to  him  at  a  certain  period. 

ChristiaTi:  "He  will  see  seed,"  is  meant  in 
respect  to  his  disciples,  who  with  their  pu- 
pils are  said  to  be  endowed  with  prolonged 
lives.  And  by  the  clause  "he  poured  out 
his  soul  unto  death"  (liii.  10),  the  departure 
of  the  soul  from  the  flesh,  is  implied. 

Israelite:  The  assumption,  that  "seed" 
denotes  pupils  and  followers  is  valueless,  as 


3' 

the  term  seed  is  only  applicable  to  mortal 
descendants,  but  never  employed  in  the 
metaphorical  sense,  for  which  purpose 
"son"  would  be  more  appropriate. 

Moreover,  "he  will  see  seed,"  signifies  that 
he  will  yet  see  offspring  and  their  descend- 
ants during  his  life-time,  which  was  not  the 
case  with  Jesus,  as  is  well  known.  "And 
the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall  prosper  in  his 
hand"  can  only  be  applied  to  man,  who  per- 
forms his  pleasures  through  others,  not  in 
affairs,  which  concerns  his  own  person. 

"Therefore  will  I  divide  him  a  portion 
with  the  multitude,  and  he  shall  divide  the 
spoil  with  the  strong"  (liii.  lo).  If  you  refer 
by  the  designation  "multitude"  to  the  large 
number  of  followers,  how  do  you  explain  the 
division  of  the  spoils?  Was  he  a  warrior, 
that  he  should  desire  to  share  the  booty? 

Common  sense  and  literal  interpretation 
combined,  the  prophecy  set  forth  in  the 
above  chapters,  is  not  to  be  properly  inter- 
preted by  means  of  such  perverse  arguments 
and  theories. 

The  dialogue  runs  only  to  page  59.  The 
next  seven  pp.  are  devoted  to  most  ingenious 


33 

comments*  upon  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  liii. 
in  general,  which  we  are  constrained  to  omit, 
as  our  article  has  already  exceeded  the  limits 
originally  prescribed.  They  are  worthy  of 
wider  circulation;  in  fact  the  whole  work  is 
of  a  character,  which  merits  careful  perusal, 
and  should  some  of  our  Semitic  chairs,  en- 
thused by  the  spirit  of  philosophic  research 
and  sound  exegesis,  which  breathes  through 
the  discussions  of  our  able  author,  assist  us 
in  our  enterprise,  the  proper  energy  and  stud- 
ious labor  will  not  be  wanting  on  our  part. 
We  propose,  who  shall  dispose? 

Note. 


A  most  remarkable  essay  was  published 
by  our  late  lamented  friend  and  teacher.  Dr. 
Heinrich  Graetz,  Professor  of  the  Rabbinical 
Seminary  in  Breslau,  some  thirty  years  ago 
in  the  Year  Book  for  5624  (1863-1864), 
printed  at  Vienna  and  edited  by  Mr.  Joseph 


*  They  are  similar  to  the  well-known  observations  of  the 
two  renowned  polemists  Isaac  Troqui  (cf.  '■'■Chisuk 
Emunah.''''  Engl,  transl.:  "Faith  Strengthened."  By 
Moses  Mocatta,  London,  1851  [priv.  printed]  p.  140  ff.), 
and  of  R.  Lipmanni  in  Liber  Nizachon,  ed.  Noribergae, 
1644,  p.  129  ff. 


33 

Wertheimer  and  Leopold  Koiiipert.  The 
paper,  entitled  "The  Rejuvenation  of  the 
Jewish  Race,"  created  an  immense  sensation, 
and  involved  both  author  and  editor  in  a 
law  suit,  for  having  offended  a  religion  toler- 
ated by  the  state.  The  article  is  a  most 
brilliant  production  both  from  a  philosophic 
and  critical  point  of  view,  and  its  apprecia- 
tion in  scientific  circles  is  demonstrated  by 
the  fact  that  in  a  very  brief  space  of  time, 
translations  were  made  into  almost  every 
living  language.*  We  commend  this  elo- 
quent plea  of  Dr.  Graetz  to  our  reader's 
notice.  (For  the  particulars  of  the  trial  and 
bitter  strifes  caused  by  Dr.  G.'s  essay,  we 
refer  all  concerned  to  the  exhaustive  accounts 
in  Dr.  Leeser's  ''Occident,'^  pp.  49,  97,  145, 
203  ff. ) 


*  An  English  version  appeared  in  Dr.  Leeser's  ^^ Occident 
cr'  American  jfeunsh  Advocate,  Vol.  XII.,  Philadelphia, 
5625,  pp.  193-203. 


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